Monday, May 12, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 5, 1429    

‘Inhuman treatment with prisoners unacceptable’

Rawalpindi—Provincial Minister for Prisons Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor Khan has said that strict action would be taken against the inhuman treatment with prisoners and violating the jail manual.
He expressed these views while talking to different party delegations from Hazara and Rawalpindi areas which met him here at Punjab House on Sunday.
He said that on the directives of the Punjab Chief Minister sudden and surprise raids would be conducted on jails and no one would be spared for violating the rules and regulations of prisons and code of conduct.
He told the delegations that presently 59,000 prisoners have been kept in 32 jails of the province whereas only 21,000 prisoners could be accommodated in it.
He said to reduce the number of jailers; the government would take solid steps for release of those prisoners who are in jails for non-payment or having no resources to fight the minor cases in the courts.
He said that party Quaid Nawaz Sharif has also issued the directives to personally deposit the payment of such prisoners who could not afford so that they could come out of jails.
The minister said that the condition in jails would also be improved and the jailers would be provided facilities.
He said that prisoners would also be made skilled so that they could become honourable citizens after completing their tenure in jails.—NNI